Johannesburg – Top officials at Joburg City Power have demonstrated how they will be able to make load shedding interventions by remotely cutting the lights of residents who do not adhere and pay bills.
During a recent visit to the Mulbarton Power Station, led by Joburg City Power chief executive Tshifularo Mashava and Councillor Jack Sekwaila, the MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, it emerged that they were now actively implementing control measures which would allow City Power to remotely switch off geysers.
They said other interventions that they were implementing included smart meter load limiting.
Mashava said the City Power's energy plan consisted of 10 programmes that would “make sure we mitigate against load shedding”.
“It will make sure we get reduced load-shedding stages for Johannesburg.
“We are happy to say it is not a plan, but it is under implementation and that we have already started,” she said.
Mashava said under these interventions, they would be able to avert load shedding up to Stage 3.
Sekwaila said Joburg City Power could not allow load shedding to be the order of the day.
“We are bringing about a load reduction system that will be able to alleviate issues in our own communities.
“There is a device that is going to be in place which will automatically switch off geysers remotely from this control room.
“We will be able to reduce electricity remotely at home. The device will give residents a signal which says Eskom wants us to reduce power use; can you as a resident choose whether you take out your geyser or your stove that is consuming large amounts of electricity?
“If you don't (adhere), the signal, after five attempts, will automatically switch off your house as a resident who is not co-operating,” he said.
A City Power spokesperson could not be reached by phone.
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